Page 2 of Christmas Ever After
“A dollar,” Megan answered. She glanced past him to the door where Ivy had nearly run out. Her steps had been fast, but she hadn’t exactly sprinted.
He was such an ass. Gabriel flipped open his wallet and handed Megan a five dollar bill. “Keep the change,” he said. He didn’t want to be in the store any longer than possible and Megan probably could use the tip. He snatched his pack of gum off the counter and exited the grocery store. He was supposed to meet Nicholas at Witch’s Brew for coffee. His little pit stop had already delayed that.
Gabriel exited the store and started down the block toward the coffee shop. At least he probably wouldn’t run into Ivy there. She had all the ingredients for her famous cocoa. She would be heading to Serendipity Lane to start the process. Ivy took her cocoa seriously and nothing would get in her way to make the best cocoa for the fundraiser.
He reached the coffee shop and went inside. Tristan was working behind the counter. Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. Esmeralda would have given him a hard time. The Strange family stood by their own, and Gabriel was personal non-grata where they were concerned. Oh, they’d be polite, but they’d also keep their distance.
Gabriel walked over to the counter. “Can I get a strong cup of coffee black.”
Tristan lifted a brow. “No sugar, no cream, nothing tasty?”
He shook his head. “I’m not ruining a good cup of coffee by adding anything to it.” Gabriel grinned. “I just need a good caffeine jolt.”
“Coming right up,” Tristan said. He picked up a large mug and filled it to the top, then brought it over to the counter. “On the house. You look like you need it.”
“Thanks,” Gabriel said. “I owe you one.” He took his coffee and walked over to the table where Nicholas already sat. He was staring down at his phone frowning. “Bad news?” Gabriel asked.
“Nothing I can’t handle later.” Nicholas tucked his phone into his pocket. “What’s going on with you?” He lifted a brow. “You’re running a bit late?”
“Sorry,” he said. “Had to make a stop and it ran later than I expected.” Gabriel didn’t want to explain to Nicholas that he’d gone to see Ivy. It would be to difficult to say any of it aloud. It was bad enough his thoughts about her plagued him. “How is Holly?”
“She’s good,” he said. “She’s at the store. She texted me she’d be late finishing some of the decorations.” No mention of Ivy. After Nicholas had met Holly, Gabriel had to explain to his friend his awful past with Ivy. How everything had ended badly. It was not one of his finest moments.
“Are you doing the cocoa crawl tomorrow?”
Nicholas shrugged. “Holly will be working. I had considered it. Feel like keeping me company? Be a nice repeat from last year. “
Except last year Nicholas had fallen in love and left Gabriel alone to go see all the doctors. A trip that had not been as fruitful as he hoped it would be. He’d lost everything with that injury. Though participating in the cocoa crawl would give him a reason to go into Serendipity Lane, and maybe see Ivy in the process. He had to start somewhere with her. Gabriel was home to stay. She would have to become accustomed to seeing him. “I might be interested.”
“Good,” Nicholas grinned. “Now tell me. Are you really going to stay in Kismet Bay? I thought you never wanted to live here again.”
“It’s home. If you can’t go home when your world falls apart you can’t go anywhere.” He shrugged. “I’ll be staying at my parent’s for now, but after the New Year I’ll look for my own place. I’m here to stay.”
Saying it aloud helped. It was the first step toward accepting his new future. Maybe if he said it often enough it would feel real.
Chapter 3
Ivy stared at the counter lost in her own thoughts. Holly was talking to a couple that had come in to get their mugs filled with cocoa. Ivy had done her part and made the cocoa, but her heart wasn’t in it this year. She wanted to go home and crawl up into a ball. She had taken over Leila’s apartment when she’d moved in with Nash. She had needed a place of her own, and Holly had Nicholas. It was a nice apartment, but it was so empty. She hated going home most of the time, but now, she craved the sanctuary. Holly had delivered some news that rocked Ivy’s entire world.
The couple laughed as they exited the store, but Ivy couldn’t pay much attention. After they closed the door behind them Holly turned toward her and placed her hands on her hips. “You need to get yourself together. So Gabriel is going to be staying in Kismet Bay. You haven’t dated in years. I know you loved him…”
“No,” Ivy interrupted her. “You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me.”
How did she tell her sister about the baby she’d lost. That she’d been broken every since Gabriel had left her, and she was only going through the motions. Sure she seemed happy. Had even convinced herself that she was most of the time. Every time Gabriel sauntered back in her life all those feelings came back. She didn’t know if she’d ever be whole again, and she still loved him. No matter how much she hurt that fact still remained the same. She would always love him. There was no one else for her. “I don’t know that I can. It…hurts.”
Holly hugged her. “I’m sorry. I wish I could take away your pain. Maybe you can find your way back to each other. I know you still love him. When a Strange loves its forever.”
Wasn’t that the truth… “I don’t know that Gabriel even loved me. Sometimes words are just that…words. Perhaps he never really meant them.”
“I doubt that,” Holly said softly. “You can’t fake feelings like that. He made a hard decision, and perhaps the wrong one, but we’re all only human. He’s paying for that decision now. Perhaps you should consider how much he’s hurting now.”
She might be right. Ivy hated to admit that much even to herself. She’d been hard on Gabriel. She had her reasons, but that didn’t mean she was right for being such a bitch. Gabriel hadn’t known about the baby. If he had perhaps he’d have made a different decision. She’d been the one to keep her pregnancy a secret. She couldn’t hold that against him when he’d not been in possession of all the information. Perhaps it was time to be honest with him. Though she wasn’t certain she could ever say any of it. The pain still rubbed her raw. “I’ll consider it.”
As those words left her mouth the door swung open. More cocoa crawlers were entering Serendipity Lane. Ivy and Holly turned to greet them. Ivy had pasted a smile on her face but it fell when she recognized Gabriel. Nicholas was with him so she’d have to remain as polite as possible. It sucked, but it was what it was. She’d start following Holly’s suggestion to give him some slack. He had a whole career in football ripped away from him. He had his own pain to sort through.
“We have come for Ivy’s famous cocoa,” Nicholas announced. He held up his Santa mug. “Care to give me a refill?” He handed his mug to Holly.
